Update on How to Work with Flexible Pad

Thanks for all your interest in yesterday’s post on How to Use a Flexible Pad to avoid heat marks. We had a reader ask the following question: “Can this be used with sublimation 395 degrees for 45 seconds, and will it effect the heat?”

I checked with Josh Ellsworth and he supplied the following answer, which I wanted to share with everyone, since he goes into more detail about using the flexible pad

Josh Ellsworth shares more information on using a flexible application pad when heat printing.

and sublimation transfers:

Sure, the flexible application pad will not have an issue at those temperatures for that time, but it does take some heat out of the application and the user should allow for a 3-5 addition seconds for the heat to “work through” the pad. Having said this, another key consideration with heat press marks is the temperature in general.
Although the pad will eliminate the direct heat, there is still 395 degrees with pressure on the performance fabric. This will often still create the heat press box if garments are prone to them. Sublimation is a unique animal due to its chemistry and required heat so you’re hands are kind of tied. But another corrective action can be taken with heat transfer films and other transfer styles that we should make mention of. For instance, most would look for a product with a low melt point adhesive to limit the exposure of heat and pressure in general (ie. Premium plus or Solutions Opaque at 280 degrees)